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Scrin
The Scrin are a fictional extra-terrestrial race of intelligent beings in the Command & Conquer universe. Despite being new as a playable side, their origins as a faction go back throughout the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_%26_Conquer:_Tiberian_series Command & Conquer: Tiberian series]. Little is known of them, except that they are believed to be responsible for the arrival of Tiberium on Earth and have come to Earth with the intention of mining it. In [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_and_Conquer_3:_Tiberium_Wars Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars] the Scrin have become a major part of the game, as well as a playable faction. History In the Tiberian Sun GDI campaign, GDI forces located and seized a massive alien vessel of unknown origin that was in the hands of the Brotherhood of Nod, identified as a "Scrin ship". Shortly afterward Nod forces tried to destroy the Scrin vessel to prevent any alien technology from falling into GDI hands. Another device of extraterrestrial origin is the Tacitus, a crystal-like orb that contains vast information on Tiberium as well as a "warning" regarding the Scrin invasion that would later occur in Tiberium Wars. Many of Kane's Tiberium experiments are based on knowledge gained from the Tacitus. In the Firestorm expansion campaign, GDI regards the Tacitus as their last chance at reversing Tiberium's spread across the planet and preventing the world from becoming inhospitable to human life. "CABAL", Nod's AI computer, seems to have decoded at least a part of the Tacitus. The final cutscene in the GDI campaign in Firestorm shows that when the two pieces of the Tacitus were placed together, they merged and the Tacitus was then easily decoded, yielding enormous amounts of data and mathematical formulae. Information gleaned from Intelligence Database files obtainable during the GDI campaign for Tiberium Wars indicates that the Tacitus may not be a Scrin artifact, but belonging to another alien race related to them. In the penultimate mission of the single-player campaign, a Brotherhood of Nod base complex contains a crashed spacecraft the player can explore. There are resemblances between this craft and the "Scrin ship" from Tiberian Sun. However, there are no actual references in Renegade to the "Scrin" race, nor do any characters or materials in the game provide information about this spacecraft, except to say that "this strange craft is not of earthly origin". The formal introduction of the Scrin occurs in the third game in the series. Revealed not as a race using Tiberium to xenoform Earth, the Scrin are instead portrayed as only being interested on the harvesting of Tiberium itself, which they call Ichor. Directly overseeing the operation for Earth is Foreman 371, the player. The player's assistant is the AI of the Mothership the Foreman is based on. Attracted to Earth due to a massive liquid Tiberium ("Liquid-T" or "Ichor LQ" in their terminology) explosion, the Scrin initiate standard harvesting procedures, deploying ships to the planet surface. To their surprise, Earth is not in the condition they expected: Tiberium levels are premature, the human race is not on the brink of extinction and are still organized enough to be a serious military threat. The Scrin's method of Tiberium harvesting seems to be as follows: Seed a world with it, wait until the levels are high enough to cause a natural liquid-T explosion, and then begin the actual harvesting by constructing massive "Threshold towers" which mine and send Tiberium to an interstellar location, the "Ichor Hub". It is assumed that by this time, any remaining indigenous forces will be too minor to pose a serious threat. The first sign that something is wrong occurs when their ships are attacked by GDI's ion cannon network, prompting evasive action. When the AI recommends harvesting be aborted after the threat level is found too high, the Supervisor appears for the first time and overrides the recommendation, ordering diversionary attacks on population centers to lure them away from more critical operations. He also orders harvesting operations and construction of the "Relay Node" and "Threshold" structures to begin as planned. Information-gathering missions reveal that the liquid-T explosion was not natural, but rather deliberately staged to trick them into arriving. What is truly surprising however is when the person who orchestrated this is revealed to be Kane: The Supervisor exclaims that "this being Kane already exists in the data core, genetic derivations are known", implying that they somehow already knew of him prior to the events of the game, but that the nature of Kane's genetic material is not being recognized even by their ancient and vast knowledge. This alludes to a possible reason for Kane's apparent immortality and vast knowledge. The Supervisor orders more information gathering to be done, but the Motherships AI strongly protests since this will lead to stranding the Foreman on Earth. Eventually, the AI forcibly cuts the Supervisor's communications link. Priority is diverted to ensuring at least one Threshold structure reaches completion, since they contain the means to evacuate the player. This is done and the player makes it to the safety of the 'Ichor Hub' with their ship. Meanwhile, a jittery Supervisor is reporting to the Overlord, explaining the situation. The Overlord orders a full invasion force to be assembled, promising that "Earth. Will. Fall." Background Little is known on Scrin biology or physiology and even the mission briefings reveal little on their actual forms. Scrin make use of infantry forces that are arthropodal in appearance but whether these are Scrin-piloted, controlled by AI, or even the Scrin themselves is unknown. One observation noted is that the Scrin Masterminds appear to possess a telepathy-based 'Manipulator device', which they use to take over enemy forces. Whether this means that the unit is indeed alive or merely an advanced, life-like mechanism is inconclusive. Unlockable GDI Intelligence Database files indicate that Scrin vehicles and infantry consist of both biological and mechanical parts, and GDI soldiers remark that the Scrin "don't bleed red, but they still bleed" like any other biological life form. This can be seen in-game as well, in several units. The 'blood' of the Scrin units appears to be a dark green viscous liquid, identical to the substance employed by Scrin Corrupter units. It is worth noting that while this substance has regenerative effects on Scrin units, it is also very destructive to infantry and structures, and appears to be Tiberium-based. An interesting fact regarding the Scrin is that they thrive in Tiberium-based Red Zones. Unlike humans, Tiberium has a regenerative effect on the Scrin, who spray the compound on their infantry and units. Whether they possess a Tiberium-based biology remains to be seen, but it is stated during GDI's campaign that they use Tiberium to both power and construct their vehicles and buildings. The Scrin within the campaign appear, as a culture, to be a harvester force who have journeyed to Earth in order to gather the 'Ichor', which is their name for Tiberium and may refer to the mineral blood of ancient Greek gods. Scrin society appears to be organized in a hierarchy, headed by a single leader, known as The Overlord. According to the Intelligence Database in Kane's Wrath, their culture consists of various castes and sects. These groups are specialized, and provide the Scrin with certain functions. Several subsects have been developed specifically to deal with native populations of Tiberium harvesting worlds. The Cult of the Reaper is an enforcer caste, while the Traveler sect specialize in covert operations. A form of religion apparently exists among the Scrin, as the Reaper cult ideology has strong religious overtones. The Scrin equivalent of Nod or GDI "Commanders" are referred to as "Foremen" who report to entities known as "Supervisors," who in turn report to an entity known as the "Overlord." Foremen come with an assistant that fills in the role of the EVA units used by Nod and GDI, which like EVA appears to be an artificial intelligence: When it strongly objected to his given orders, the Supervisor demanded that the Foreman "reformat his ship." It should also be noted that in Kane's Wrath, Kane himself refers to the Scrin as "a cult of addiction in the guise of a species". This statement seems consistent with several Scrin-related intel database entries from Kane's Wrath, which describe the Reaper caste as a cult, and which make reference to the fact that the Scrin "parent race requires Tiberium to survive". Military The invading Scrin forces in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_%26_Conquer_3:_Tiberium_Wars Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars] are portrayed as being unprepared for the task of fighting against the armies of the Brotherhood of Nod, and those of the Global Defense Initiative in particular. Despite the great destruction wrought during the initial invasion of Earth, it becomes increasingly apparent to GDI Central Command that what they are facing is essentially the escort of a planetary-wide mining operation, which has been geared primarily for utility and the routing of lingering and disorganized pockets of resistance, rather than outright warfare against a heavily militarized and well-organized indigenous civilization. This is further evinced by the prologue of the Scrin campaign itself when the Scrin's mothership AI analyzes the military capabilities of the two warring human factions, concluding that the indigenous resistance is "dangerously viable" and that the harvesting operation's escorting troops are "unsuited for prolonged resistance of organized forces", going even so far as advising an immediate mission abort to the Foreman. Despite all this, the Scrin prove a terrifying adversary for both Nod and GDI due to their extremely advanced technologies, unparalleled knowledge on the capabilities of Tiberium, and also, that to human military standards the mining operation's escort essentially represents nothing less than an armada on a planetary scale. Scrin units appear to be either living entities or extremely advanced biomechanisms, which generally feature an insect-like design and form. The basic Scrin infantry forces include "Buzzers", swarms of small blades "seemingly guided by a limited sentience" that tear apart infantry in seconds. The effectiveness of rifle rounds on these entities is questionable; the most notable reason for the effectiveness is that the rounds disrupt the 'mind' in the center of the swarm until it dissipates. Other types of infantry are "Disintegrators", specialized anti-vehicle troops that shoot photon beams, and a Scrin engineer-type unit called an "Assimilator"; which is stealthed when not moving and performs the same functions as the engineering units of the human factions. Their heavy infantry are "Shock Troopers", which are a match for the GDI Zone Troopers and Nod's Black Hand Units. The Scrin also possess an elite "Mastermind" unit, which can mind-control a single enemy unit or building in a manner very similar to the Yuri Prime unit from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_%26_Conquer:_Yuri%27s_Revenge Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge]. The Scrin's anti-infantry support includes large insect-like units known as Gun Walkers, equipped with a beam cannon, and Corrupters, which spray liquefied Tiberium. Armored vehicles include Seeker tanks, which fire plasma discs over a wide area, and Devourer hovering tanks, which can enhance their proton cannons by 25%-50% by consuming Tiberium. The Scrin equivalent of the GDI Juggernaut and the Nod Avatar is the Annihilator Tripod, a deadly three-legged walker armed with three laser cannons mounted on flexible tentacles, which can either concentrate fire for more damage or attack up to 3 different targets. Though they possess capable ground based forces, the Scrin's primary advantage appears to lie in its aerial forces which includes vehicles such as Stormrider fighters that aid Devastator warships. These two are further supported by Planetary Assault Carriers which make use of drone fighters to swarm enemy positions. The Scrin also employ a devastating weapon that can be brought on the battlefield in the form of enormous "Motherships" which are capable of annihilating many ground structures at once in a destructive chain reaction that can "level entire cities". The Rift Generator is the Scrin superweapon, a device capable of opening a space-time portal (with an event horizon much like a black hole). It cuts a hole in the fabric of space and ejects anything and everything in its vicinity into deep space. Technology The Scrin are an advanced alien species whose origins are unknown except for the fact that they are capable of traversing the intergalactic medium. Their structures have an organic appearance to them, although it is not clearly defined whether they are machines or organisms. Many different varieties of Scrin units are seen, though it is unknown whether units are Scrin themselves, or if they are vehicles for Scrin, or if they are remotely controlled robots. Scrin technology is highly advanced compared to the state of human technology, and in many ways defies conventional physics as understood by humanity. For instance, Scrin weapons technology is based around powerful directed-energy beams that lance out against enemy forces. Plasma weaponry is seen in the form of plasma disc launchers that are used on their Devastator warships and the Seeker vehicles, as well as by Shock Troopers. They have also harnessed the ability to create ion storms (large, persistent static electromagnetic discharges) at will. Scrin aircraft and most vehicles have some type of anti-gravity technology, allowing them to remain suspended over the surface of the planet without apparently ejecting matter or energy, and without acceleration. They also possess the capability to manifest force fields, which appear as projected, semi-luminescent shimmering bubbles which encapsulate units, augmenting their capability in battle. This can also absorb one EMP blast. In addition to force fields, Scrin units and structures may also be protected through use of a 'phasing effect'. The Phase field has the property of partially transferring all objects within its range into another, parallel dimension, therefore rendering them partially or completely immune to attack (but rendering the said units unable to attack themselves). This technology can be used in the form of a temporary field projected at a distance, or through the use of Phase Generators. The latter method is utilized in the protection of the Thresholds until completion, at which point they would become completely immune to "any form of geologic upheaval, severe weather phenomena, cometary impact, or use of conventional, nuclear, Tiberium, or other forms of weaponry", again by an effect described as 'phasing out'. A passing reference is also made of phasing in Tiberian Sun, where Kane mentions "invulnerable flying ships". In addition to this, they are capable of using wormhole technology allowing them to teleport their forces from one location to another. This is seen by the fact that many Scrin forces on Earth are teleported there from a distant mothership on the threshold of the solar system to the planet's surface through portals. They are capable of using this to transport forces around the battlefield itself and Scrin units such as their Shock Troopers possess 'blink packs' allowing them to teleport short distances away. This has been further developed as a weapon in the form of the Rift Generator, which "cuts a hole in the fabric of space that sucks up anything and everything in its vicinity" and ejects the sucked-up objects into deep space. Scrin technology also appears to stretch towards tiberium, as Scrin are capable of building a "Tiberium Accelerator" over tiberium fissures, which speeds up the regeneration of tiberium crystals in its field. Reaper 17 utilize an advanced "Growth Stimulator", which also provides a Constant Trickle of Credits, much like a Tiberium Spike. Infantry The terrifying 'Buzzers' constitute the Scrin's basic anti-infantry units. Buzzers are created in small swarms, with experiments with captured Scrin hardware demonstrating that they may be created quickly and cheaply. Swarms remain together and are guided by what seems to be a limited sentience. Each individual Buzzer is like a floating, high-powered buzzsaw capable of tearing through flesh and light infantry armor plating. Multiple swarms are able to horrifically rip through infantry units, and Buzzers are also able to clear garrisoned buildings. In addition, the Scrin are known to 'combine' their terrestrial vehicles with Buzzer swarms, so that the Buzzers travel with the vehicle and are able to move off and attack enemy infantry when necessary. The Buzzer Hive, a Scrin base defense, is able to send swarms of Buzzers at attacking infantry. Buzzers have even been known to appear almost out of nowhere, right in the middle of the battlefield. Buzzers have also consistently been observed emerging out of destroyed Scrin buildings, leaving some researchers to conclude that they may operate the buildings. While they are highly threatening Buzzers are, of course, quite lightly armored and particularly vulnerable to explosives and railguns. They are also completely useless against any form of vehicle, as their 'blades' are not capable of penetrating vehicle plating; however, their very nature means that they cannot be simply run down. ' 'Disintegrators constitute the Scrin's anti-vehicle infantry. Moving around in packs of five (probably analogous to human infantry squads), Disintegrators appear to be bio-engineered for combat, with their weaponry integral to their bodies. Somewhat larger than a human and moving around on four insect-like legs, Disintegrators are armed with a powerful cutting beam weapon capable of searing through solid steel and composite armor. It is possible that they were originally intended for use in Tiberium mining, but were re-purposed for military use. When they are crushed by vehicles part of the weapon's fueling mechanism is ruptured and Disintegrators explode. While not particularly damaging, this explosion has made human vehicle crews think twice about simply running them down. However, certain vehicles upgraded with Nod dozer blades (Scorpion tanks and Reckoners) can crush Disintegrators without harm, as the heavy blades are undamaged by the explosion. Disintegrators are rather lightly armoured and their weapon is also somewhat lacking in range and they cannot garrison buildings, like most Scrin infantry. They cannot target air units too and are especially vulnerable to Venoms and Hammerheads. However, they are cheap to train and are a formidable anti-tank force in large numbers. They have been seen in virtually all battlefields where the Scrin are encountered. ' 'Assimilators are bizarre-looking Scrin infantry units that perform functions analogous to human Engineers. Assimilators have been clearly seen capturing and repairing both human and Scrin structures and bridges. Assimilators may also recover fallen walkers, namely the alien Annihilator Tripod and human Avatar and Juggernaut, restoring them to combat functionality in order to fight for the Scrin. The sole advantage that the slow-moving Assimilator seems to possess over our own Engineers and Saboteurs is its ability to cloak when not moving, similar to many Nod stealth units. This has been known to have certain tactical advantages for the aliens - however, if detected, the Assimilator is easily killed due to its lack or armor or defensive weaponry. ' 'Cultist: Recent intel has revealed the existence of a new infantry unit known as the Cultist. The cultists are actually a fusion of two organisms; a captured human and a Prodigy parasite fused to their brain. The parasite overwhelms the emotional and logistic centers of the brain; essentially destroying the human's personality and turning them into just another member of the Cult of Traveler. Often, these Cultists fight in five-man squads, uniformed in robes. These units are unarmed. However, they have the same mind control abilities as the Mastermind, able to take control of ground units. Unlike the Scrin Commando-analog, Cultists could be built in multiple numbers. However, Cultists are unable to use their mental control abilities on epic units, air units, and buildings. The cultists can be upgraded with Advanced articulators in order to increase their speed. However, they remain slower than most enemy vehicles. New Cultists are created through a complex surgical procedure, that may not always be successful. The process begins by removing the skin around the head, and then the skull cracked along natural fissure lines and removed. To calm the human victim, cortical manipulators are used. The Prodigy spawn is then attached to the human, automatically controlling the important cerebral centers. With the help of the host brain, the spawn's mind control abilities are greatly increased. Once the process is finished, the symbiote gains complete loyalty to the Scrin and to them only, and becomes immune to the effects of Tiberium. ' 'Shock Troopers are elite Scrin infantry units (deployed in packs of three) so-called as they launched devastating attacks on Earth's cities in the early stages of the invasion. Each Shock Trooper is a large, rounded, insect-like creature roughly the size of a small car - this is why they are sometimes nicknamed as "Mushrooms". Like other Scrin infantry, Shock Troopers appear to have been literally created for combat using advanced alien bio-engineering technology. Shock Troopers have been witnessed with different levels of weaponry; while even in their least well-equipped form they are able to take on our vehicles, those Shock Troopers armed with plasma disc launchers are even more dangerous than normal and are able to fire at aircraft. Furthermore, some Shock Troopers are known to possess Blink packs that allow them to teleport instantaneously from one point of the battlefield to another. This ability has proven lethal in combat. The Traveler-59 subfaction deploys Shock Trooper units automatically equipped with blink packs, considering that the Traveler Sect mostly concentrates on speed. They don't appear vulnerable to anti-infantry weapons as one may expect, but Sniper teams and Commandos are nonetheless effective. A division of Shock Troopers with the plasma disk upgrade and Buzzer swarms can stop an air, armor, and infantry attack dead in their tracks. Following the immediate invasion Shock Troopers were only found in areas where the Scrin had a well-established base of operations. It is likely that in order to 'train' Shock Troopers, Scrin commanders need to have access to the relevant technology first. Battlefield analysis reports have indicated that both the Scrin's Stasis Chamber and Nerve Center need to have been constructed in the vicinity in order for Shock Troopers to be deployed. Reaper-17 subfaction can use the reinforcement ability Shock Pods, which deploys three veteran Shock Trooper squads to any location on the map instantly, via Blink Packs. ' 'The Ravager is a form of elite assault "infantry" used by the Scrin. These creatures are quadrupedal biomechanical constructs, that literally have green Tiberium crystals growing on them. They have been reported to be one of fastest Scrin units encountered to date. The Ravager attacks by flinging Tiberium shards at its target in a manner similar to [http://cnc.wikia.com/wiki/Tiberian_wildlife#Tiberium_Fiend Canus tiberias]. It has also been confirmed to have the ability to detonate Tiberium via a reaction similar to that caused by Nod's Catalyst missile. Ravager units of Reaper-17 can be upgraded with better weaponry. Traveler-59 is able to upgrade their Ravager's with advanced articulators, increasing its speed to the point it can outrun most vehicles and infantry. Ravagers come in squads of three, and are thus vulnerable to snipers. They are also unable to garrison buildings and their shards are only effective against light vehicles and infantry. Their Tiberium Agitation ability, however, is a very considerable threat and a few of them could easily cripple a base's economy. The ability also seems to work on any unit that contains Tiberium, even hostile Scrin units, with devastating effects. ' 'Masterminds, like many Scrin units, resemble insects and have a rounded shape that makes them physically larger but no taller than a human. The name of these rarely-encountered alien units is derived from their unique abilities that were initially believed to be derived from extreme psychic acuity, but now has been confirmed to be caused by a piece of Scrin technology known as a "Manipulator Device." Once in range of an enemy unit - or even an enemy building, bar automated turrets - Masterminds are able to take control of it, no matter how many humans are inside, and turn it against its own side. This way Masterminds have induced panic among attacking GDI forces when their mighty Mammoth tanks have suddenly turned and fired upon their former comrades. It should be noted that Masterminds are only able to control a single unit at a time, and this command will be lost if the Mastermind itself is killed - however, the distance between the controlled unit and the Mastermind once the mind-link has been established appears to be of no consequence. The Manipulator Device is so effective that the Foreman can take control of an enemy construction yard and build a Crane near their Drone Platform so they can use their enemies' own weapons against them. In addition, Masterminds have also been witnessed teleporting small groups of Scrin units instantaneously from one point of the battlefield to another. This ability is apparently unhindered by the size of the unit being transported. If the Mastermind can go into an Eradicator Hexapod, it grants the Eradicator's ability to teleport. While not often seen on the battlefield, Masterminds quickly became recognized and feared by GDI and Nod alike. Although unverified, the destruction of Munich appeared to have been caused by erratically behaving engineers sabotaging the base prior to the arrival of invasion forces. Though most of Munich was leveled, there was evidence that a Mastermind possibly had been the cause. It is belived by some that this is, or is close to, the "true" form of Scrin. Interestingly, they seem unable to control GDI or Nod commandos and during the GDI campaign in Italy they were spotted using a medium-range anti-infantry disintegrator weapons. Most Masterminds encountered lack a weapon to defend themselves. The Scrin subfaction Traveler-59 uses a mutation of the Mastermind, known as the Prodigy. A highly modified version of the Mastermind, it can mind control several units in a single area. Highly effective, it could mind control an entire population within days of arriving. It still retains the ability to control a single unit, and can be used at the same time as its area ability, if need be. Little remains known about this unit. Even among the Scrin, the origins of the Prodigy remain unknown. Its birth is speculated by many to be a result of dark experiments conducted by Traveler, involving genetic engineering and inbreeding. It is known however, that the spawn of these creatures can be planted onto human brains, resulting in 'human' mind control units loyal to the Scrin, called Cultists. With a personal Blink pack, it can teleport anywhere in the battlefield. Notably, a Prodigy would covertly transport itself into an area, causing anyone under its control to inexplicably attack their side. The Prodigy also has the ability to teleport units at its location, using the chaos to its advantage to send in reinforcements. A Prodigy can also go into an Eradicator Hexapod, granting the Eradicator's ability to teleport. Despite its awesome power, the Prodigy can not use its mind control on Epic Units. Its area mind control is limited to ground forces, and cannot affect aircraft (although it's still capable of controlling a single aircraft while it's on the ground). Also, the unit lacks a direct weapon to defend itself. Worse still, because of its power, enemy Commanders make the Prodigy the first target to eliminate. Vehicles ' ''Gun Walkers' are among the more basic and common Scrin vehicles yet encountered. The bio-mechanical Gun Walker, like many Scrin units, resembles an enormous insect and moves around on six legs. The energy weapons carried by these vehicles are quite low-intensity and appear to do the most damage to lighter targets such as infantry; however, it should be noted that Gun Walkers have also been seen to fire upon aircraft. Gun Walkers often accompany Seekers into battle to supplement them with anti-infantry capability. The Gun Walker is incredibly effective against Orca Gunships and Venoms, being able to blast them out of the sky at an alarming rate. ' 'Seekers are light Scrin hovertanks that are apparently designed for scouting and reconnaissance missions. Thanks to their ability to 'glide' over the battlefield, Seekers boast a high degree of speed and maneuverability. They are armed with plasma disc launchers that seem effective against vehicles (in particular light vehicles) as well as aircraft, but less effective against infantry, and are relatively lightly armoured, making them ill-suited at taking human heavy armour head on without considerably superior numbers, in spite of our inferior level of technology. To counter GDI and Nod's tanks the Scrin deploy their own Devourer Tank. The Seeker is the heaviest vehicle available to the Scrin at Tier 1, but is vastly inferior to the Predator and somewhat inferior to the Scorpion. It is, however, cheaper than both its rivals at 600 credits and, at least in theory, could overwhelm them with large numbers (albeit with inevitably high casualties). In addition, the Seeker possesses advanced detection systems, whether similar to the human radar systems or not, that have proven very effective in detecting even the most stealthy unit. In this category, the Seeker has somewhat better armour but worse speed and mobility than the Attack Bike and is equal to the Pitbull in terms of firepower, speed and armour. Devourer Tanks '''are apparently the Scrin equivalent of the human main battle tank (as opposed to the lighter Seeker). Unlike other Scrin armour, the Devourer appears designed after human tanks, albeit without a turret, but with higher firepower and speed. Because of this, some believe the Devourer was created as a sadistic mockery (improbable, if fitting). Like Seekers, Devourers hover over the battlefield, but they are slower and more heavily armoured. Devourers are so called as they have been witnessed absorbing Tiberium in a similar fashion to the Scrin Harvester; they seem to do so to charge their main weapon, a long-range proton cannon capable of dealing significant damage to armoured targets. In terms of raw firepower the vehicle certainly stands up to Predator tanks, while consistently proving stronger than Scorpion tanks. They also have the longest range of any non-siege unit, able to fire upon human tank divisions well before they can respond, and when supercharged their range increases even further. Many Scrin Foremen exploit this advantage by firing on enemy tank divisions and moving back using their superior speed as the hostile tanks try to get within range. This tactic can destroy even Mammoth tanks and Avatar Warmechs if used properly, much to the disdain of the owners of said heavy and expensive assault units. The '''Mechapede is a walker unit that is utilized by the Scrin invaders, determined to be an advanced customizable biotank according to InOps. The Mechapede closely resembles a Terran millipede or centipede, though it is exponentially larger. Its speed is faster than even a Seeker, and can fire in any direction. However, it can not move in reverse. The Mechapede's "head" is the only part constructed at first; it has a weapon similar to the Scrin Disintegrators. Eight additional segments, of four varying types, can be added. Shard segments are powerful against enemy infantry, disk segments can strike down enemy aircraft, the Tiberium segment has a similar weapon to the Corrupter and does a lot of damage against infantry who are not protected by ZOCOM Tiberium field suits, and a Disintegrator segment. These segments allow the Mechapede to be a versatile support unit. Like the Corruptor, its Tiberium toxin can not only heal other Scrin, but also heal itself. Multiple Scrin Mechapedes with four plasma disk segments and four Disintegrator plasma cutter segments (not counting the head) can destroy a fully armed MARV in a matter of minutes. The Mechapede is the strongest non-epic Scrin ground unit in the game, the Reaper Tripod aside. Destruction of the Mechapede body segments will not destroy the unit, as it can then rebuild more segments. The only way to totally destroy the unit is by targeting the head segment. It is impossible to gain infinite segments on the Mechapede. A Corrupter is a Scrin organic "vehicle", deployed extensively during their invasion. It is equipped with a large tank at the back contains a Tiberium sludge, which, when spewed at an opponent through it's 'mouth', can eat through infantry armour and even clear and/or destroy structures. It has also been seen to spew the sludge at friendly Scrin units, which appears to repair mechanical damage to their Tiberium composites and Tiberium-based soft tissues. Explorers are bizarre, floating Scrin support vehicles that apparently work in much the same way as human Surveyors and Emissaries in that they allow the Scrin to establish ground control at a particular location. Like its human equivalents, the Explorer is faster but less heavily armoured than the Scrin 'MCV', the Drone Ship, and is not able to deploy Scrin structures. Explorers are most frequently used by the Scrin to capture ground around areas of Tiberium, which the Scrin pursue with a ferocity unmatched even by Nod. Once deployed the Explorer becomes a stationary structure, and it has not been seen to un-deploy, unlike Drone Ships. The Annihilator Tripod (Greek: Tripous (Three Feet, three legged object)) is considered the Scrin's most dangerous terrestrial unit. While slow, this apparently bio-mechanical walker can sustain a considerable amount of damage before being toppled. Referred to as an 'Annihilator' with good reason, the Tripod sports three articulated 'arms' tipped with high-powered proton beam weapons. These weapons, combined with the Tripod's sheer durability, mean that it can lay waste to vast numbers of smaller units. The armour protection of the Tripod appears to be supplemented on occasion by some form of energy shield (sometimes called the Forcefield), similar to that notably present on some other Scrin units, like Devastator Warships; this is likely to be an upgrade. Units with these shields are even more dangerous than normal, and are considered priority targets in battle (The shield can protect these unit from an EMP strike and absorb some damage). Owing to their sheer size, Tripods have been known to literally walk over smaller vehicles, often destroying them outright. At close ranges, Annihilators have been seen using a kind of EMP attack to disable vehicles that venture too close before destroying them with the proton beams or crushing them. This gives them a definite edge in close-quarters fighting. The EMP attack can also disable structures. However, as has been proven by both GDI and Nod, the Annihilator Tripod is by no means invincible. A well-trained Commando can run up to a Tripod and disable it almost instantly with an explosive charge applied to the vulnerable underside of its 'body'. Once disabled, GDI Engineers, Scrin Assimilators, and Nod Saboteurs can take control of the Tripod for their respective factions. Tripods also have no defense against aircraft. Other than this, large numbers of anti-vehicle units or very heavy vehicles such as Mammoth Tanks are required to take them on. Battlefield reports indicate that the Annihilator has better firepower than the standard Mammoth 27 (and a longer range) along with better speed. However, its armour (especially without the energy shield) is the weakest of the three faction's 'Tier 3' units, and a Mammoth tank upgraded with railgun weaponry can easily damage or destroy an unprotected Annihilator, provided it can keep the tripod in range without venturing too close to its EMP blast. Its firepower is also inferior to the Avatar's laser. At 3000 credits, it is also the most expensive Tier 3 unit in the war. Having said that, the Annihilator Tripod is not to be underestimated and is easily capable of causing great devastation if not properly dealt with. The Scrin cult Reaper-17 uses a horribly Tiberium mutated, but nonetheless stronger variant of the Annihilator Tripod, called the Reaper Tripod. Other Sub-faction of the Scrin, The Traveler-59, can train an Annihilator Tripod but it can't be upgraded with a Forcefield generator. The Eradicator Hexapod (Greek: Hexa = Six, Hexapod = Six feet, or Six legged insects) is an extremely powerful Scrin biomechanical construct, resembling a six-legged spider.[1] Existence of this unit was first hinted at by fuzzy images of a large unidentified Scrin walker. Soon rumours began to circulate of a giant, six-legged monster prowling through the red and yellow zones. While some thought these rumors would soon dissipate, GDI Central Command began to worry when sightings increased in number. The most disturbing and detailed accounts spoke of the destruction of heavy Nod and GDI units and the taking apart of its victims piece by piece to recycle them. GDI investigated, and soon learned of the Eradicator. The Eradicator is armed with weaponry similar to the Devastator Warship complimented with a Lifeform Recycling System. This gruesome ability allows the unit to dismantle and assimilate parts from vehicles, buildings and soldiers (living or dead) it destroys, resulting in a steady supply of resources. As a whole, the Eradicator is heavily armed and heavily armored, and with the right units supporting it, difficult to defeat. Even Commandos cannot damage its legs, and would be crushed if attempted to attack it. The effectiveness of the Eradicator was observed to be enhanced by it assimilating Scrin infantry units (reference below). However, without appropriate upgrades, the walker is incapable of protecting itself from air attacks. Its main weapon's lack of precision also makes it less effective against well co-ordinated and fast-moving attacks from enemy units (while the Eradicator is surprisingly fast given its vast size, most vehicles can still outrun it). Like the MARV, its creators(?) may have known about this and hence provided it with infantry hardpoints to make up for this weakness. Due to the large amount of resources required to construct one of these vehicles, only one can be deployed at a time. The sheer size and power of the unit means that it requires its own special structure in order to be brought onto the battlefield: a Warp Chasm. The Lifeform Recycling System can also allow the Eradicator to assimilate up to three Scrin infantry units. These units provide the Eradicator with a number of new weapons, but cannot revert to their previous state once acquired (it means that they will permanently garrison inside the hexapod). New capabilities also depend on the type of unit absorbed. With the right units garrisoned, the Eradicator Hexapod can become the most powerful unit in the game. *Disintegrators: Adds a powerful short-range anti-armor beam weapon. *Assimilator: Adds a self repairing module. Additional Assimilators enhance the regeneration rate. *Shock Troopers: Adds anti-armor and anti-aircraft plasma disc weaponry. *Ravager: Adds shard launcher, effective against enemy infantry and vehicles. *Mastermind/Prodigy: Allows the Teleport Eradictor capability, allowing it to travel instantly from one point to another. Should a Mastermind/Prodigy be assimilated, another Mastermind/Prodigy will be made available to the Foreman. Teleportation is limited to the Eradicator's Sight Radius; it is incapable of long-range jumps. The Eradicator is the only Epic Unit that can assimilate commandos. It is recommended that only one Mastermind/Prodigy may be garrisoned into the Eradicator, more Mastermind/Prodigy garrisoned will be useless. ' ' Aircraft Stormriders are Scrin fast-attack aircraft designed for extended operations in a combat zone, produced at the Gravity Stabilizer, which is the Scrin equivalent of an Airfield. Fast and versatile, the Stormrider has an exceptionally strong airframe, and is armed with a single, omni-directional plasma cannon with an unlimited power supply. This weapon is capable of engaging both ground and airborne targets but suffers from a relatively weak power output. Therefore Stormriders are free to pursue their targets across the battlefield for an unlimited duration, but to little effect, and have proven to be more an annoyance than threat to GDI and Nod forces, unless utilized in large numbers. The Stormrider's name is derived from observations made by GDI field operatives, who noticed that the craft operated more effectively in an ion storm. The Scrin possess the technology to generate a localized ion storm at will, which is outfitted on board their Planetary Assault Carriers (PACs) and Storm Column base defenses. While human technology is disabled or even destroyed by ion storms, all Scrin air units, including the Devastator Warships, can utilize these storms to gain a tremendous boost in protection as well as self-repair. Because of this, groups of PACs and Warships escorted by groups of Stormriders are an exceptionally powerful combination. The Stormrider's only true weakness is that it cannot hit moving infantry with it's plasma bolts. This can be exploited by making Missile Squads/Militant Rocket Squads continuously move, stopping once in a while to take potshots at the Stormrider. Devastator Warship is one of the more advanced Scrin airborne units yet encountered. Fitting the name given to it, the Devastator Warship is capable of causing grievous damage to units on the ground. Resembling a gigantic floating lobster-like lifeform, every Devastator is armed with Zeus plasma disc batteries that possess an impressively long range. Owing to its slow movement and long-range weaponry the Scrin seem to employ this most as a support or siege weapon, capable of laying waste to structures and clustered ground units alike. While vulnerable to anti-aircraft weaponry and unable to defend itself against air attack, the Devastator is impressively durable, and its durability is often seen to be further increased by some form of energy shield, a presumed upgrade also witnessed on units such as the Annihilator Tripod. Some people witnessing that Traveler-59's Devastators are upgraded with device that increasing its movement speed. These device are known as "Traveler Engines". Another subfaction of the Scrin, Reaper-17, do not have Devastator Warships in their arsenal. Intel has indicated that they are responsible for much of the destruction in the Earth's Blue zones. It must only return to the Gravity Stabilizer for repairs like most air units. They are much-feared by GDI and Nod Commanders alike, and their destruction is a high priority for most as even a small group of Devastators is quickly capable of laying waste to even the most well-defended base. They also do significant damage to ground units, killing infantry with 1 salvo if it hits them. Because Devastators can fire just outside the range of Nod and GDI anti-air base defenses, and is deadly to units such as Attack Bikes and Pitbulls, one of the only ways to dispose of it properly is using air-to-air fire. In terms of size and its purpose as a siege weapon, the Devastator is analogous to human battleships. Of course, its ability to fly grants it greater flexibility, even if it is comparatively fragile. While hypothetically the vessel may be capable of bombarding a planet's surface from orbit it is possible that the Scrin chose to avoid such a move in order to protect their limited fleet from the powerful GDI space-based arsenal, instead applying a more clever solution-teleporting their starships directly into Earth's atmosphere in close proximity to major populated areas. Planetary Assault Carriers are among the most fearsome and powerful Scrin aircraft witnessed. Resembling giant, floating, legless stag beetles, each Carrier arrives above the battlefield armed with a contingent of smaller Scrin Invader-class fighters, which immediately detach from it and swarm around their target, firing plasma weapons. When working together these fighters are able to deal significant damage, and if destroyed the Carrier is able to 'grow' a replacement. However, Carriers are perhaps most dangerous when generating an ion storm, as they are apparently able to do at any time. An example of this has been observed that these ships actually regain hull integrity while in an ion storm. While harming human forces, ion storms actually enhance the fighting capability of Scrin aircraft in particular. Carriers have also been witnessed possessing an energy shield, similar to that seen on the Annihilator Tripod and Devastator Warship, which greatly enhances their durability. Known weaknesses of the Planetary Assault Carrier are its slow movement speed (particularly for an aircraft) and the fact that the Carrier itself actually possesses no defences once all its Invaders are shot down. It must return only for repairs. Nevertheless these hovering behemoths are a frightening component of the Scrin arsenal capable of terrorizing even Mammoth Tanks. Categorized as the Superheavy Capital Ship, the Mothership is the Scrin's most powerful unit encountered to date, surpassing even their own Eradicator Hexapod in raw firepower. It is a heavy, slow moving disc-shaped aircraft that is capable of leveling whole bases in a short time. Its primary (and, to the extent of our knowledge, only) weapon is the Catalyst cannon, an energy weapon with effects not dissimilar to Nod's catalyst missile in that it causes a tremendous chain reaction. However, it is significantly more dangerous and destructive than Nod's missile, as the chain reaction is triggered between structures. The destructive effect of this weapon was evident when a single Mothership incinerated Berne in Switzerland with a single blast that leveled the dense city center. It possesses the single most powerful weapon ever to be fielded on a mobile platform in history, capable of wiping out entire bases in a single shot and leaving only a smoking crater. The effect of the chain reaction on Epic units is disputed, as different data sources conflict. Nonetheless, the Catalyst cannon is an energy-based disaster waiting to happen anytime a Foreman wants. In addition to housing a weapon of massive destructive power, Motherships also appear to serve at least some command and control functions for the Scrin. Indeed, GDI InOps report that a Mothership was used during a Scrin retreat from Earth in the closing stages of the Third Tiberium War and defending the Relay Node. Drone Ships are the slow, floating vessels that the Scrin apparently use to establish ground control at a particular location, much like the MCVs of human forces. When GDI's Ion Cannons, under the direction of Redmond Boyle, attacked the Scrin ships while on there approach to Earth, they split into a vast number of these smaller craft. While lacking in speed, Drone Ships seem to be heavily armored and, being aircraft, may move over any terrain to deploy. (It should be noted, however, that they are only capable of low-level flight and their progress may be impeded by tall structures or landforms.) Once a desirable location has been found, Drone Ships will land and 'implant' themselves into the ground, at which point the Scrin foreman may begin base construction. The resulting building is known as a Drone Platform. Category:Enemy Faction